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Thread: 2021 Dworshak Reservoir Kokanee Fishing Report

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Boise. Idaho
    Posts
    505

    Default 2021 Dworshak Reservoir Kokanee Fishing Report

    More fish, less Virus in 2021.
    17 ft. red/white Crestliner
    90 hp and 8hp Hondas

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    26

    Default Dworshak in Winter

    I put my new to me boat in at Freeman Creek today just to see if it floats (it does). I also gave a half hearted attempt to catch fish for a couple hrs. I flatlined 70-120' out with arrows and pink hoochies. No bites or anything showing on the finder.

    Has anyone fished Dworshak in the winter and had success? Any tips on where they might be this time of year?

  3. #3

    Default Winter Kokes

    Quote Originally Posted by Dorf View Post
    I put my new to me boat in at Freeman Creek today just to see if it floats (it does). I also gave a half hearted attempt to catch fish for a couple hrs. I flatlined 70-120' out with arrows and pink hoochies. No bites or anything showing on the finder.

    Has anyone fished Dworshak in the winter and had success? Any tips on where they might be this time of year?
    Check out this post: https://www.kokaneefishingforum.com/...r-Time-Kokanee

    My experience and understanding is the fish are down around the dam til dam discharge ramps up enough to cause current then many fish instinctively move upstream. The fish are said to be small this year so small lures, hooks and baits, and a bit slower troll. Water temps are colder than they prefer, so find the warmest which today looks to be 43.7 at 10-30'. Try closer to shore too. And please post back with how you do. Curious to know fish size this year. Thx!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    26

  5. #5

    Default

    Thx for the good and not so good news:) Do you think the fertilizing may help substantially with the size of the super abundant Kokanee this year! Any idea as to the length of the fry last summer? Thx again!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    26

    Default Dworshak Nutrient Restoration Update 2018

    https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/reflect...upper-potlatch

    Key statements from the article:

    "They’ll be bigger than they would have been if we didn’t add nutrients."

    "it’s important to remember that their growth, and ultimately size, depends a lot on how many are out there."

    "What we found was, on average, kokanee were about an inch longer and two ounces heavier in years when we added nutrients. This isn’t much if you’re thinking in terms of a single fish, but it can add up. For example, for a limit of (25) averaged sized kokanee, that will amount to an extra two pounds of fillets."

    "...as this nutrient restoration project has continued, the abundance of kokanee has increased. As the number of fish has gone up, the size has come back down. With the addition of nutrients, the reservoir can support many more kokanee of a given size than before."

  7. #7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dorf View Post
    I put my new to me boat in at Freeman Creek today just to see if it floats (it does). I also gave a half hearted attempt to catch fish for a couple hrs. I flatlined 70-120' out with arrows and pink hoochies. No bites or anything showing on the finder.

    Has anyone fished Dworshak in the winter and had success? Any tips on where they might be this time of year?
    Every year this time of year I see them jumping all over the place in the backs of a lot of the bays. I believe the food source heads to the surface for a little warmer water when the sun is out. Might be a side planer or long line surface affair to catch them. I’d expect the size to be very disappointing, 8” probably being typical.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Posts
    26

    Default

    I ended up trying it out on 2/5. It was a nice day; sweatshirt weather. Caught 8 in 3 hours out of Canyon Crk. I lost probably another 8. The kid was doing most of the reeling. All 8-9 inches and skinny. They were jumping quite a bit, so I fished the surface. Surface temp was 42-43. I did see them at 40-50 ft at the entrance to Canyon Crk near the cliffy area, but i didn't bother fishing deep.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dorf View Post
    I ended up trying it out on 2/5. It was a nice day; sweatshirt weather. Caught 8 in 3 hours out of Canyon Crk. I lost probably another 8. The kid was doing most of the reeling. All 8-9 inches and skinny. They were jumping quite a bit, so I fished the surface. Surface temp was 42-43. I did see them at 40-50 ft at the entrance to Canyon Crk near the cliffy area, but i didn't bother fishing deep.
    Thanks for the report Dorf, and glad you and the kid got some to the boat!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Posts
    13

    Default

    Looks like they are releasing 15,000 cfs right now, through the powerhouse and spillway. How is this likely to affect the kokanee?

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